2008 YAGP Performance at NYCC

28 posts in this topic

Assoluta Bouder excepted, Natasha Osipova is my favorite dancer in the world, so when the Stars of Today portion of the evening skipped by sans her Corsaire, I was unhappy, although there turned out to be much else to enjoy. As always this evening, the next dancer's name was stated first, during the applause for the last act... but through the noise "... of Paris" could be heard. Whew! So on came Natalia and Ivan. Just nine days before her delayed debut in the Bolshoi's Korsaro, what a splendid warm-up for her. It is good to see she is developing so fast, in leaps and bounds, well those are still there, but also in her maturity and style. She was glorious, but this was Mr. Vasiliev's New York debut. The next Baryshnikov? Of course not, just as Baryshnikov wouldn't have been Baryshnikov if he were a mere next somebody. In addition to Misha-ness, Ivan seems on the way to layering on a level of his namesake Vladimir! He is Bolshoi! But moreso, he is Ivan Vasiliev, unlike anyone else ever, and there is no one even remotely close. By the time we got to his second variation, his entrance was greeted by a thunderous wall of screams. He is the new Beatles! He couldn't hear the music, so backed off stage. Confusing the crew, and the lights were turned off. Then lights back on, and he reentered. The screams. Perhaps there was a cue, for this time the variation began. I suppose there will have to be a new vocabulary for what he does. Finally, Natasha's fouettes: doubles and triples. Then his tours-a-la-seconde? Well, no. Is "quads-a-la-seconde" an official ballet term?

As Natalia rockets through Giselle, Sylphide, and next Corsaire, we can safely anticipate the next generation's Assoluta of all the Russias. As for Mr. Vasiliev, we can only wonder at the wonders to follow. I wish him good health, with that all miracles follow.

Share this post

Link to post

I was able to recognise Mr. Hernandez, 13, from Rock. Gold, Juniors(as many anticipated). A virtuosic stylist, 17, from The Royal won the Men's Gold. The woman's Gold went to a very impressive 15 year old(Mexico?), I think, and a young man from Germany I believe won something above that, but his talents were hidden by the worst thing I have ever seen (and again and again at Galas), that Brel cigarette-smoking monstrosity. But names, at least to my weak old ears were impossible to pick up. I am sure someone will soon post the list. The Rock School had a huge piece, by Christopher Fleming that filled the stage with dozens of magnificent dancers. What a triumph for that school.

Share this post

Link to post

Vasiliev and Osipova were beyond belief, fantastic!! They brought a whole new level

of technical brilliance and bold fun to NYC. The audience bounced out of their seats to give them a standing ovation, and the screams of appreciation were the loudest I've ever heard from an audience. Thank you City Center!!

Share this post

Link to post

Thanks for the reports everybody. Very happy for Osipova and Vasiliev - saw their Don Q in Kennedy Center last year and absolutely loved it. Did Semionova and Bollet perform? It was supposed to be Semionova's American debut.

Share this post

Link to post

Delighted to hear Osipova-Vasiliev did so well. Hopefully this entirely pointless appearance of 15 minutes in New York (sorry, nothing personal, but this whole thing was bad timing) will bear them some fruits.

Share this post

Link to post

Thanks for the reports everybody. Very happy for Osipova and Vasiliev - saw their Don Q in Kennedy Center last year and absolutely loved it. Did Semionova and Bollet perform? It was supposed to be Semionova's American debut.

Yes, Polina Semionova and Roberto Bolle danced Petit's Carmen, but unfortunately placed directly after Osipova/Vasiliev. It was very sexy, of course, with direct references to traditional sex (he became a bed for her) and what one might (to remain apolitical on the Primary day) call White House sex. And the finale where she lies down upon him and he slides her down... Of course any artistic impact was numbed by following the Beatles. Also, would have liked to see her dance classically.

Earlier Wendy Whelan (especially fluid) and Philip Neal danced the only substantial choreography of the evening, Balanchine's Chaconne (bloating the program notes with The Trust's arrogant pomposity), beautiful, but relatively unappreciated. The program ended with the Corsaire PdT. A very elegant, meltingly precise Mizuka Ueno partnered by the very elegant and soaring David Hallberg and a somewhat renewed and exciting Jose M. Carreno.

Also Canadian Greta Hodgkinson and Bolle made the most that could be made from a PdD from Kylian's Petite Mort. Sarawanee Tanatanit and Blaine Hoven broke free from their career-confining ABT circumstances to dance beautifully in the premiere of Marcelo Gomes's Tacaca. We got to see two new members of Wheeldon's Morphoses in the premiere of Hougland's Alloy, sort of Wheeldon-on-the-floor-like: but Drew Jacoby and Rubinold Plank look unique, interesting, and I hope we will see more of them this Fall. There was a very entertaining piece by MOMIX, danced by Nicole Loizidies and former YAGPer Steven Marshall, on skis.

Share this post

Link to post

...(bloating the program notes with The Trust's arrogant pomposity), beautiful, but relatively unappreciated.

Is that necessary, Dr. B? Aside from the fact that the language is there as a type of legal notice, it never bothers me and I don't particularly consider it bloated or pompous, it is there because it has to be.

Share this post

Link to post

Did Semionova and Bollet perform? It was supposed to be Semionova's American debut.

She did and

sorry, it's just MY personal impression/opinion, She didn't move or emote me. I watched her and was MISSING KANDAUROVA (big RED).... Besides, "the Beatles" Osipova & Vasiliev, i was not impressed and greatly disappointed (after almost daily attending the Kirov tour)... but it's just my humble opinion.

Also, again, just my personal opinion, I found the program VERY INAPPROPRIATE for the gala where there were so MANY CHILDREN. Could someone sensor what was to be performed on the stage? There are other places in NYC to watch "love making" then the children's competition.....

Share this post

Link to post

I think I'll remain spoiled for a very long time after seeing those wonderful, exciting performances from the Kirov.

Balanchine's choreography (Chaconne), of course, stood out exceptionally for it's sophistication and visually musical brilliance. Yes, I think there could have been more of that and less of the rolling around on the floor between men and women.

Share this post

Link to post

Can somebody please post the full list of trophy winners of the YAGP 2008, which was just concluded last night? [There are seemingly 100+ scholarships awarded...no need to post that.]

I extended my Kirov-NYC weekend to attend my first-ever YAGP Gala, preceded by the awards ceremony at 5pm. So I *should* know the names of the winners...but it was impossible to hear the full names because of the uncivilized screaming from the various dance-academy delegations...and, yes, they also screamed throughout the gala, often at the most inappropriate places e.g., during the finale of Petit's Carmen pdd. Picture a bunch of teenie-boopers screaming "Woooohooooo" as the two dancers (Semionova/Bolle) were simulating the sex act, prompting the lights to be turned off before the pas was completed.

Here's all that I know for sure:

GRAND PRIX (for very best dancer, male or female): Norbert Something-or-other from the John Crako School, Germany. Wonderful, expressive dancer who wowed the gala audience with Les Bourgeois (made famous by Daniel Simkin)

1st PRIZE, SR MALE: Vadim Mungatirov of Russia...but representing the Royal Ballet Academy, where he is studying. I know Vadim as the winner of the latest Vaganova Prix in St Petersburg, a couple of years ago. Gorgeous technique and long line in his Don Q pdd solo.

1st PRIZE, SR FEMALE: Rocio Aleman of Monterrey, Mexico - gorgeous classicist, with perfect figure and face to be a star, dancing Sleeping Beauty Act I solo. I happened to be sitting next to her dad when her name was called...the only reason that I know her name because it could barely be heard.

...and that's about it that I could hear...nothing posted on the YAGP web, yet. Nothing in the NYC newspapers yet.

The "Stars of Today" portion of the gala featured a number of big names (Semionova, Ueno, Carreno, Bolle, Hallberg, Whelan, Neal)...but the undisputed stars of the night, among the pros, were Osipova/Vasiliev of the Bolshoi in the Flames of Paris pdd. They were accorded an instant standing ovation by this VERY loud and appreciative crowd + four curtain calls, until the emcee had to shut-up the audience, or the show would not have gone on.

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

There's no arguing -- Osipova and Vasiliev blew the roof off City Center, but you know what has stayed with me? Momix's skiers!

MOMIX's Nicole Loizides and Steven Marshall, covered except for their faces in shiny silver bodysuits, stood on skis -- ski boots and all (and all equally silver). Their slow acrobatics were fascinating, and their unison was flawless.

I hate to report on Marcelo Gomes' choreographic debut, Tacaca. Sarawanee Tanatanit and Blaine Hoven in practice clothes went through the paces of the pas de deux we've seen so many times. Essentially the man manipulating the woman into various poses to an insistently percussive score. There were scattered moments of wit, but Mr. Gomes' gift for choreography seems far more modest than his gift for dancing.

The program includes a listing for Hee Seo and Ivan Ortega in Goyo Montero's Godspeed. I have absolutely no recollection of it. Did I zone out completely?

HongKong Ballet's Jin Yao and Huang Zen performed a charmingly modest Grand Pas Classique. None of the customary show-offy exhibitionism, just precise and musical dancing. She held her balances and tombe-ed to her knee as he did from his double air turns.

It is so strange presenting a program of pas de deux with nothing to pull it all together at the end. There should have been a defile for the adults, as there was for the students. Or maybe one of the two ensemble pieces presented in the first half to conclude the second. The one titled Out of Proportion (? something about proportion), a witty and inventive novelty number, would have filled that need perfectly.

Share this post

Link to post

I agree that Vasiliev/Osipova were breath taking, and also that he is not the "next" anyone.

I commented to a friend who was not there, that it did not seem at all as if I were watching him in a "role", but rather that I was looking at someone who happened to drop by and wanted to dance for us, enjoying being with the audience I think as much as we did being with him.

I noticed that he has a website which is only in Russian........www.ivanvasiliev.ru/. I believe it may list his future performances; but I wonder generally how others participating here alert themselves to when/where their favorite dancers will be appearing, if the dancer has no website which we can follow. Perhaps the "Heads Up" forum does this in part?

Jim Davis

New York

Share this post

Link to post

I noticed that he has a website which is only in Russian........www.ivanvasiliev.ru/. I believe it may list his future performances; but I wonder generally how others participating here alert themselves to when/where their favorite dancers will be appearing, if the dancer has no website which we can follow.

Welcome and THANK YOU for the link to the site ;-))

Nope, Ivan's site doesn't list his future performances and looks like someone else posts for him (judging from how his biography is narrated), and it doesn't list the most recent performances...

From several Russian dancer's web-site, i am aware of only Vishneva posting her schedule...

To moderator, feel free to move the posting to another thread, if found innappropriate here.

Share this post

Link to post

GRAND PRIX (for very best dancer, male or female): Norbert Something-or-other from the John Crako School, Germany. Wonderful, expressive dancer who wowed the gala audience with Les Bourgeois (made famous by Daniel Simkin)

1st PRIZE, SR MALE: Vadim Mungatirov of Russia...but representing the Royal Ballet Academy, where he is studying. I know Vadim as the winner of the latest Vaganova Prix in St Petersburg, a couple of years ago. Gorgeous technique and long line in his Don Q pdd solo.

1st PRIZE, SR FEMALE: Rocio Aleman of Monterrey, Mexico - gorgeous classicist, with perfect figure and face to be a star, dancing Sleeping Beauty Act I solo. I happened to be sitting next to her dad when her name was called...the only reason that I know her name because it could barely be heard.